Identity Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
The secret lies within.
Identity is a secret. Identity is a mystery. Identity is a killer.
Strangers from all different walks of life: a limo driver escorting a movie star, parents with a young son, a cop transporting a convict, a prostitute, a young couple, and a motel manager are caught up in a nasty rainstorm, stuck at a motel in desolate Nevada. Soon they realize they may be at the motel for another reason when one by one, people start getting killed off. As tensions flare and fingers are pointed, they have to get to the bottom of why they're there. Meanwhile in an undisclosed location, a psychiatrist is trying to prove the innocence of a man accused of murder in an eleventh hour trial. How these two through-lines are related can only be found in Identity.
| Amanda Peet | Paris |
| Jake Busey | Robert Maine |
| Ray Liotta | Rhodes |
| Alfred Molina | Dr. Malick |
| Clea DuVall | Ginny |
| John Cusack | Ed |
| Rebecca De Mornay | Caroline Suzanne |
| John Hawkes | Larry |
| John C. McGinley | George York |
| William Lee Scott | Lou |
| Pruitt Taylor Vince | Malcolm Rivers |
| Carmen Argenziano | Defense Lawyer |
| Marshall Bell | District Attorney |
| Leila Kenzle | Alice York |
| Matt Letscher | Assistant District Attorney |
| James Mangold |
7.30 out of 10 (36327 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Great sequences, but predictable
posted on 18 Aug 2009When 10 strangers come together in a series of events in a rainy night at a hotel, they soon find they're being killed one by one, and one of them might be the killer. If they are to survive this ordeal, which doesn't seem likely, they will have to find out a secret that brought them together.Characters are interesting, and have great depth and appeal to them. John Cusack is good in everything he does. He still has that baby face, but as our main character, Ed, does the job at convincing us he is more then what we thought he was. Ray Liotta plays a cop, Rhodes, that seems to be the opposite of Ed. Where as Ed is cool and seems to have control, Rhodes is a loaded shotgun, angry and disorganized. Identity manages to grab you rather well in the beginning. It does a good try at attempting the Twilight Zone effect, and perhaps would have made a great 1 hour episode. But in the VERY beginning, there is a scene which almost ruined the movie for me. I won't tell you what it is, but if you pay close enough attention to it, and a few other elements, you'll figure out most of the movie long before it's over. I did. I caught every little thing the movie threw out, and although the pieces didn't make complete sense, by the time it got to the 'twist', I was underwhelmed. Identity has 2 twists. The last and final twist isn't as surprising as the first (and the first one was easy to figure out, remember? Of course you do, because you were paying attention.) Were it not for the predictability, this would have been a better flick. Perhaps you can enjoy the movie a little better if you don't analyze everything like I did.Still, if you like suspense movies, rent it. It's dark, and has a creepy feel to it, at the very least.6 out of 10
Clever, a flawed classic.
posted on 18 Aug 2009Identity is far from perfect. At first glance it is a haven for Hollywood rejects and those at the end of their careers, but it also defies the typical ideals of Hollywood film making. This is not a horror, not a thriller, not a drama, not a crime or action film. Yet it has elements of all of these and creates a film that stands alone against the usual Hollywood fare.It revolves around a group of people trapped in a cheap roadside motel synonymous with "Psycho" and other clones that have since failed to make the grade. Their lives intertwine before they meet and one by one they come to be in the place that many of them would breathe their last.For the most part, the plot then becomes typical slasher flick cinema and it would be easy to be complacent and think that this is the sum of "Identity" and decide that you have seen enough.Then it takes a bizarre twist of fate and you are no longer sure just exactly what it is you are watching. All I can say is that in spite of the flaws, Identity evolves into one of the cleverest films of the year. Refreshing, intelligent stuff that would make it difficult to dislike and a must for anyone who likes to watch a film that is just a little different. Had this had a little more hype, a few clever marketing campaigns and it would go down as a cult classic for the early 21st century.
A good piece, and so much more!!
posted on 16 Aug 2009With the all-famous scenario of a group of strangers brought together by a struggle, and the horrors that rise upon them as one by one, they mysteriously end up dead. We the audience, are once again brought into the world of spine chilling fun but this time from director `James Mangold' who previously helmed drama piece `Girl, Interrupted'.
Our director is covering new territory this year, with a body of Hitchcock ready to bring us all into this thoroughly enjoyable piece of cinema. `Identity' sees a group of strangers both with there own unique character spirit stranded in a motel on a rainy evening. With no where to go and no one to help them, the group find themselves being stalked by someone or something with the intentions of putting them all to rest before they can even realize who dunnit? The film follows as an almost classic stalker/slasher flick that never fails to deliver the excitement.This is achieved by the clever twist and unpredictable events that bestow as soon as one believes to have figured out the film. The cast more than delivers what is required from a genre that is almost put to rest itself due to lousy attempts to revive it. But then again this film is not one of these attempts; it's a psychological thriller that helms all unpredictability in the body of a worn out story that has been revived relentlessly over the years. John Cusack delivers one of his most daring performances to date, by dabbling in the field and crossing new territory to something you never thought he could pull off. He's bold and always a pleasure to watch.Ray Liotta's portrayal is nothing except what you expect, he's been marked as the aggressive tough guy for his recent roles and it's getting difficult for him to play anything else. Amanda Peet makes a smart move as the character who is almost out dated with predictability, but her cunning attempt to make it all interesting is simply a grinning joy to watch. I enjoyed the directors plot to delve into a genre he seems to know nothing about, and clearly a little ignorance can be a good aspect. I just can't help but think after watching such a treat, if the directing could have been bettered by a crusader who wanted to make a psychological thriller with a slasher genre touch, than a man trying to make a tale of murder with a psychological twist.Nice overall twist's that are guaranteed to make every smart movie watcher's head spin, but simply lacking the vengeance that makes all good psychological thrillers stand back in pride for re-inventing the way all great films are made.
Who am i here?
posted on 12 Aug 2009It's hard to believe that "Identity" Sprung forth from the same pen as that of the author of that really bad killer snowman movie "Jack Frost" and it's unwanted sequel, but hey never mind, Because in "Indentity" Michael Cooney has created a true Mystery thriller.As i write these words, the rain outside is coming down in sheets, which gave me the notion to watch this movie again. Which i duly did. The coolest things about movies such as this, is the way they are constructed, much like "Dead End" you can theorise and guess your way through the whole, but how often do you ever get it right, i know i never have.Anyway, the perfect premise is set when we fade and it's a dark and stormy night, off into the distance lit up by neon light we see a desolate motel and thats when the fun begins. The introduction of the ten principle characters and how they came to be was truly something, some would call it the fate of the gods. The cast, headed by John Cusack, all aquitted themselves most admirably, especially Pruitt Taylor Vince, in the pivotal role of Malcolm Rivers, the man with the story, unfolding within his own mind.I had a sudden notion, by the time you arrive at the conclusion, once you have deliberated over the evidence presented, you are going to ask yourself one simple question, "Who am I Here"? after you've viewed the film in it's entirety, your going to think you did it.Now that is a mystery fit for solving. I must also add that the extras on the DVD release are pretty smart, especially the writer's commentary, i didn't realize that Michael Cooney was English, nothing wrong with that, as his commentary, the evolution of a screenplay was one of the most involving commentaries i've ever had the pleasure of listening to.On a rating out of 10, on a dark and stormy night such as this, dare i say 10 out of 10, without hesitation.
Interesting until the very end
posted on 02 Aug 2009Contains spoilers! When I saw the ads for this movie I dismissed it as just another scary movie. But then I noticed that James Mangold directed it and that Pruitt Taylor Vince played a big part alongside greats like John Cusack and Ray Liotta, so then I decided to go see it. And I was not let down, because this movie takes you through the mind of a schizo and the movie is cut in such a way that you only learn this step by step, only to be revealed at the very end what is going on and who did all the killing. And when that moment comes you actually witness an aha-erlebnis, trust me. This is not just a slasher movie, this is a great psychological tract on schizophrenia and also a complaint against capital punishment. On a side note, John C. McGinley was absolutely hilarious in his role. If you see(n) it, you know what I mean. 8 out of 10.
Very intelligent up until the ending
posted on 31 Jul 2009It's not the easiest thing, to write a review of a psychological thriller without giving away too many important points in the movie. But I'll try to give you an overall idea of what to look for and what's worth your attention in this film.The main thing I appreciated about this film was the unique way of being able to tell a story. This isn't a solid beginning to end film, it's a bit jumbled up, which adds to the movies excitement (Especially the accident scene) and really keeps your head going at full throttle to understand what you're seeing. It's impossible to not have your head going throughout the movie. With that said, the story and way the director decided to shoot it really helps the film out, and separates it from your usual `Who done it?' façade that most movies in this genre exploit.Moving on, great cast! John Cusak and Ray Liotta were perfect for their roles. I don't know how happy I was with Amanda Pete, but overall she worked out. The other characters however, fit into a cliché, which was unfortunate. The little boy, the feuding couple, the eccentric husband, even the prisoner Liotta's character is transporting looks like your average comic book creep, which is really a shame considering the sets used in the film were so nice, and there was no need to have these formulaic characters in them. It took away from how creepy the film could have been, and more importantly, ruined the tone during many a scene.Now what most people are interested in, the plot. The plot is the hardest thing to write about. I'll say this much: This movie has one of the most interesting, original plot twists that I have ever scene. People who have seen `The Usual Suspects' (and who hasn't) will appreciate the way this movie plays itself out. I can't imagine anyone being able to figure out why the events at the motel are happening, and form the correct conclusion on their own. Quite the unique piece of cinematic story telling.The biggest problem this movie has is not knowing when to stop, specifically the last five minutes of the movie. After digesting what was just dictated to you by the characters in the film, you sit back and think, `wow, that was really something. I was never expecting things to turn out that way.' However, once the ending is laid into place and you recline in the theater seat thinking how smart the movie was, you're treated to a double ending. What you think was true, is not and the true `killer' shows their face. In what has to be the worst idea in psychological thriller history, someone decided to make a certain character responsible for the acts committed that night with the motel murders. What a mistake! What an awful mistake! There was no need for it, it was unnecessary and completely out of place.Overall, the movie is smart, but plagued by one of the worst ending in recent history. Even psychological thrillers that I hated, such as `Angel Heart', had better endings than this! Great cast, great sets, great story, but in order to maintain that feeling, you have to walk out before the last two minutes of the film get revealed. Overall, 7 out of 10.
A chilly, bloody puzzle with excellent performances
posted on 31 Jul 2009Hitchcock, Stephen King and the usual suspects must have crossed director Mangolds mind during the planning and production of this excellent movie. Chilly and very surprising indeed. Really a puzzle you are almost forced to try to solve while watching, in between the goose-pimples and silent screams of horror. John Cusack, Ray Liotta and all the rest of the cast deliver excellent performances in a classic one-set, blind-alley, dark and wet location (as seen in several movies from 'Key Largo' and onwards).It's a cool thrill on a hot summers day. Claus Hesselberg
Disturbing Horror Story With Clever Twists
posted on 27 Jul 2009Identity (2003) is by far one of the best horror films I have ever seen. The opening and closing lines were utterly creepy. I was on the edge of my seat from the beginning to the end credits. All of the actors did excellent performances, especially John Cusack and Ray Liotta. I felt sympathy for all of the characters stuck in the motel with hopelessness and death around them constantly. By the way, the death scenes were pretty graphic and intense. But it was fun to piece together the clues in the same order as John Cusack's character did. One thing that stuck out at me was that there were two stories unfolding during the movie that don't fully connect until the shocking finale. Great writing, editing, acting, and direction make Identity (2003) a haunting tale of murder, deception, and one's own identity. I give this film 10 out of 10.
Decent, but less than the sum of its parts
posted on 27 Jul 2009Blessed with an intriguing hook, escalating suspense and a game ensemble cast, IDENTITY is ultimately more style than substance. This is not to say it is not diverting and largely entertaining. It's just also a bit of a cop out. Coming on the heels of no less than five recent movies featuring the same modus operandi of the cagey or otherwise unreliable narrator / narrative (MULHOLLAND DRIVE, THE USUAL SUSPECTS, FIGHT CLUB, THE MATRIX, SIXTH SENSE and even CUBE 2), IDENTITY is probably the least successful of the group in logically / cleverly integrating the gimmick. Coming so late in this plot device's cycle, one would have hoped for more than mostly nonsensical pseudo-psychological mumbo jumbo. Still, this is not to say that the movie isn't an enjoyable ride. It just doesn't go very far after promising a much greater journey.SPOILERSLike too many X-Files episodes, the movie sets up a clever challenge and hook which the climax and conclusion is never able to satisfyingly explain or resolve. A movie which owes a tremendous debt to PSYCHO, IDENTITY ultimately suffers the same anti-climactic letdown inflicted on us by Hitchcock. PSCYHO's five minute pop psychological soapbox soliloquy on cross dressing by Simon Oakland is matched by IDENTITY's similarly laughable lip service dissertation by the defense psychologist on how the entire movie we've been watching is the schizophrenic delusions of a sybillic patient. This longwinded and patronizing lecture on split personalities is almost as dated as Leslie Nielsen's "Monsters of the Id" deus ex machina from FORBIDDEN PLANET.Much like FIGHT CLUB, another movie which relies heavily on the POV of an insane (in this case schizophrenic) protagonist, IDENTITY begins to lose steam just as it strains hardest to impress us with its twists. The problem is not that the story isn't ambitious. The problem is that the split personality twist is from out in left field and we are left bushwhacked, sidetracked and disappointed. It's a twist that we don't want to be true because it ruins the mystery that we hope will have a much better explanation.Obviously the creators give a lot of thought to structuring the reveal and choreograph individuals' locations at the time of each murder such that any number of red herrings and solid suspects are available. At first Busey seems a great suspect. Then the motel manager. Then Ray Liotta. Then ghosts from the "Indian Burial Ground." There is much to admire in the first half hour, where we meet the ten characters efficiently and unpredictably. We see in nicely non-linear fashion how each player's actions contribute to the others' arrival at the remote motel where they will all ultimately die.IDENTITY has plenty of jolts and some smartness. While it outsmarts itself at the end and gives in to a gimmicky finale, up to that point it is a divertingly creepy and intriguing road to nowhere.
Miss the end
posted on 25 Jul 2009Well, everything here make it ready for the "best film ever" (in its category). Everything until the last 15 minutes.Sorry to say that I've had a great time watching ... until this damn ending.Lest' face it, great acting, no fear to get gore or subtle if necessary, a really good plot (kinda like "And Then There Were None"), I liked the way the movie was filmed.And then : everything is explained just like a rabbit out of a hat. I quit (mentally) here.I've read that there's an alternative ending. I hope so.The end is an easy way out. A simple trick. It's really frustrating.See it (it's worth it), but stop before the end, and try to figure the possible end with your friends.
Motel as metaphor for rooms in the mind
posted on 23 Jul 2009SPOILER - Now knowing the ending I find it so clever that the whole movie takes place in a motel and each character has a different room. Even sane people have many different aspects to their personality, but they don't let them become dominant -- they are controlled. Malcolm's various personalities and needs were personified in each character. The prostitute mother (Amanda Peet), the part of him who hated her for being a prostitute (Larry), the loving mother he wish he had, the loving father he wish he had, the selfish part of himself (actress), the violent part of his personality (Ray Liotta and Busey), the irrational emotions he feels and his need to be loved (Ginnie) and his attempts to control those feelings (Lou), the hurt little boy who sees far too many traumatic things in his life, and of course, John Cusack who seems to represent Malcolm himself trying to analyze and understand all the craziness in his mind, tries to follow the rules (accepting responsibility for the car accident), help others (giving Amanda Peet a ride, and stitching up the mother). Very cleverly done!
A twist to far
posted on 21 Jul 2009When I heard that Identity lends a lot of the Classic Agatha Christie novel Ten Little Niggers my curiosity was aroused. I like this novel very much, but never really saw a good presentation on film. This movie does start off as a take on the novel: ten people are stranded in a remote location, they all have something in common and then the killing starts. It's quite suspenseful and keeps you wondering who the killer is.
But there are little hints and another storyline that makes you suspect something else might be afoot.Then all of a sudden half way through the movie you're hit on the forehead with an enormous revelation and plot twist of almost `Sixth Sense' proportions. This changes the `who's the killer' routine completely and unfortunately also reduces the tension felt before the twist. But still a very good thriller until the decision of the writers to put in another plot twist at the end that completely spoiled the movie for me.The performances in this movie are anything between average and very good, but it's John Cusack, who seems to get better with each movie, again who really carries the movie. Both sound and vision are very well balanced to serve the mood of the story.So would I recommend this movie for your viewing pleasure? I would even with that extra twist at the end that spoiled it for me.
This is no B movie. It's damn good, and I'll letcha know when they're bad :)
posted on 17 Jul 2009I didn't know what to expect - a 'Psycho' clone? A 'Hitcher' thing? It has elements from many films, and you are left guessing who (or what) is wreaking all the havoc. Is it...??? You probably won't guess! Neither could I, because everyone's got a reason, an angle. At the end of the movie you see how everything perfectly fits together and really see INSIDE the workings of a split personality psycho as never before - in a real 'who am I' sort of thing. It's hard to explain, but fun to watch! U will dig it.
Absolute twaddle
posted on 15 Jul 2009Spoilers.That film the other year, the Nicholas Cage one, `Adaptation,' about the orchid thief, remember the film script one of the brothers was working on, the absurdly delicious one about series of murders that are revealed all to be inside the head of a multiple personality disorder sufferer who is at the same time the girl and the cop and the murderer? This story is that story.And it's utter rubbish.
Great thriller!
posted on 09 Jul 2009This is an excellent film, definitely one of those "not everything is what it seems" movies and the best thing about this one is that it's probably not what you think it is, either. For those of you who are tired of Hollywood movies-with-a-twist that are actually fairly obvious (such as The Recruit <sigh>), this film will make your night! :)Excellent performances by John Cusack and others; very satisfying that the most annoying characters die early, leaving you with the cream of the crop for the bulk of the film.
Smart B-Movie Thriller
posted on 09 Jul 2009As the norm, B-movies have a certain freedom to show on-screen what big-name productions shy away from, and thanks to this, they can retain a near 100 percent truthfulness to what they're trying to tell. IDENTITY, an effective little movie that became the sleeper hit of the first third of 2003 is one of those clever stories. Taking a cue from Agatha Christie's "Ten Little Indians", one of the few of her stories which have failed to make an impression on the big screen, director James Mangold and screenwriter Michael Cooney bring forth this apparently predictable but surprising slasher-thriller about ten strangers, neither of them related to each other, who during a heavy storm converge in an out-of-the-way motel in the middle of nowhere. That it becomes evident that there is more to every one of these people than first value would suggest is just the icing on the cake. When they start getting picked off one by one, paranoia sets in and the remaining survivors try to uncover the killer's identity.Waving in an out of this suspenseful story is the tense battle between a psychologist trying to save his patient from certain death. It becomes known to us that he's a mass murderer, and a former cop, but to talk more about this would be 'murder' to anyone who hasn't seen this clever story. More so because there is a crucial plot point which ties both the events in the motel and the inquisition. As a matter of fact, much of IDENTITY occurs in a deceptive non-linear way. The manner as to how the main players are introduced, with the actions of one affecting the course of action of the other, going back and forth before getting into the meat of the plot, is downright tight.Mangold is one of the newer directors whom I'm getting acquainted with and in the process, enjoying his work. His rendition to the slasher genre is hard to classify at times because a lot of the movie is an intense character piece where every one of his players are people instead of plot-types (while initially appearing so). Having a large roster of big names and lesser-known names helps, too, because it misdirects the viewer into believing that an actor known for playing a certain type of role will repeat a performance here, but Mangold is looking for something else aside from entertaining. It seems to me that his intentions are to twist a well-known genre and take it to an unexpected ground without cheating his audience a la M. Night Shyamalan. And because all the little giveaways are there, cleverly hidden in their plain exposure, no one can say he cheated for shock value. I loved IDENTITY, with its dark colors and late-night horror movie values, and can't say there wasn't a moment when an actor didn't nail his or her presence.
A Psycho-Thriller That Is A Must See
posted on 01 Jul 2009It's difficult to really describe this movie without given away any of its twists and turns. This movie is a must see psycho-thriller even though some of the psycho-jargon is clearly clinically incorrect. Some people will have a problem with the ending, though it's must viewing by any beginning therapist - it has an important, vitally important message. John Cusack provides his always reliable performance. While Ray Liotta, unfortunately continues his long progression of finding his character stereotypical roles (one of the only drawbacks in this movie).[SPOILER - DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THIS MOVIE: This movie combines the fascination of "A Beautiful Mind" with "The Omen" and creates a fascinating blending of genres that makes for a creative, innovative movement forward in psych-thrillers.]This "Twilight Zone" surreal experience is a feast for the eyes because it relies not so much on gore and explicit in your face splatter, but on a more subtle but hard edge visual treat of hints, suggestions, eerie music, tight shots that all make for a classic thriller of the 50s. What if this movie HAD been shot in black and white? Now that would have been a real experience.Eight out of ten stars.
Original, compelling and very tense thriller/horror **** (out of five)
posted on 27 Jun 2009A truly original thriller/horror with some great twists. A clever intelligent film that also has some very sharp dialogue.John Cusack, Ray Liottta, Amanda Peet etc. are all very good.And James Mangold's direction is also fantastic! Not to be missed
I'm confused?
posted on 27 Jun 2009OK..first of all, I REALLY enjoyed this movie..just got finished watching it the 2nd time w/ my hubby. But I have a few questions, and I do not have time to read all the comments to see if there are answers because I have to work in the morning..so maybe someone can help me out here. the rest of this contains spoilers: So, Malcolm really did kill 6 people...in an apartment bldg, right? Was one of them his mother..because they kept showing a photo of a dead woman who could have been possibly his mother? I know they didn't go into detail about the people that were REALLY killed..but I was thinking that since the Larry character AND the child both had this hatred for prostitutes, and Malcolm's mother was a prostitute..that maybe somehow there was a connection? Also...why, after Edward finds the key next to the woman's bed, and they found the #7 key on her husband's body..why were they all of a sudden in a big hurry to flee the area? I didn't understand that part..did they all think they knew who the murderer was or something..because before that, the Ray Liotta character said they should all stay in the room. I'd appreciate any feedback on this..thanks!..(p.s. Ray Liotta rocks!)
does cusack just get better
posted on 28 Aug 2009I read previous reviews of this film and did quite well to avoid any spoilers.What a superb film, excellent edge of the seat start and from that moment on I was gripped. I like a film with a twist and I normally get the "twist" before it happens! Identity though I must admit I was clueless to the twist and did not see it coming. When realisation hit me, I carried on watching and enjoyed the film till the then very predictable ending.I would recommend this film though on two counts. 1)the great atmosphere and 2)excellent cast(in particular Cusack)...